...And Me Without Bear Spray

I visited Glacier National Park in mid-June, and I booked my stay near the Western entrance of Apgar. Unfortunately, this was a few days before Logan Pass was opened for the 2018 season, so there were some limitations on places to go and things to do.

The weather during this trip was uncooperative with steady rain, temperatures in the mid-40°F range, and heavy cloud cover. Determined to make the most of it, I drove up the Going-to-the-Sun Road as far as I could go and decided to take a tour of the Trail of Cedars Nature Trail.

Thing is, when it's rainy, chilly, around 7:00 PM, and the height of bear mating season, there aren't too many other people on the trail. Figuring that news reports always highlight the lone hiker ill-suited for grizzly encounters was starting all too close to home, I walked about a 1/4 mile into the dense canopy, before re-thinking my plan, and returning to the nearest outfitters to pick up a bear whistle, bell, and bear spray.

I did manage to capture a few images before I decided to return to more civilized environs, and I definitely whetted my appetite for the next opportunity to get to Glacier NP - better prepared!

I'll Be In Your Arms Time the Moon Come Around

McDonald Creek flowing heavy with rain and snow melt in June is an impressive sight.

I visited Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park about a week before the Going-to-the-Sun Road was cleared for passenger vehicles in 2018. It was a bit disappointing, as the weather was wet, with heavy cloud cover, and the only way to get from West Glacier (where I initially stayed) to East Glacier is to drive US 2 about half-a-day around the southern part of the park.

I am intent on getting back to Glacier National Park in the near future to better experience the "Crown of the Continent" - If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise...

High Hopes

It's peak shrouded by heavy rain clouds, Going-to-the-Sun Mountain is still an impressive feature in Glacier National Park.

During my visit here, the park crossing road, which is named for and travels around this mountain, was still closed to vehicular traffic. I had so hoped to see much more of the splendor of the 'Crown of the Continent', but it was not meant to be.

I did stop for a brief hike on the Sun Point Nature Trail on the north bank of Saint Mary Lake. The rain had stopped briefly when I started hiking, but returned about 10 minutes in. That, combined with a ranger stopping by the parking lot to warn me of a grizzly sighting in the area made me keep my visit on this side of the park short. I hope to return at some point and see more of this amazing place.

So Much Potential

Oh, how I wanted to experience the magnificence of Glacier National Park!

I made a weekend trip to Glacier, immediately after departing the Grand Teton and Yellowstone NPs. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had determined that I had enough good weather over a six-week period, and it was time for me to experience some rain.

With temperatures in the upper-30s and low-40s, in mid-June, Logan Pass was still not open. The rain and low temperatures combined to create low-lying clouds and fog, occluding most every jaw-dropping view.

As I searched, in vain to find some grand vista, I came around this curve and saw this waterfall and the southeastern escarpment of Going-to-the-Sun Mountain. The peak stands at 9,642', but the cloud ceiling is probably around 6,000', and my location is at approximately 5,000'. Nonetheless, the colors resonated with me on this grey day, so I parked and hiked back to capture this image.

There is so much more to see...the mountains and the parks were teasing me to stay longer...but, I had commitments down the road. I will be back, Glacier....I will be back!